The Bible is full of inspiring illustrations of people going through difficult times and how God led them into breakthrough. It is helpful for us to look at Elijah who first appeared in the Bible in 1 Kings 17 declaring a drought with catastrophic consequences for everyone, every animal, and the land. Having delivered this devastating word, Elijah was then sent to the Kerith Ravine, a wilderness place.
Have you ever felt like you were in a wilderness? Struggling in every dimension to see breakthrough come.
What’s worse than experiencing the desert? Experiencing the desert in a time of drought! The good news is you can survive the desert even in a time of drought...
Picture the scene, as the drought began to take hold, King Ahab had heard the words proclaimed by Elijah and knew that the drought would not end until the powerful Prophet Elijah declared it! King Ahab was furious and frightened. What a time for Elijah to disappear! Where had he gone? God had removed His Prophet – a judgment indeed! What would happen if they couldn’t find him? Not just a physical drought of water but a spiritual drought of the word of God.
Do you know who the Prophets are in your community and nation? Do you know and understand what God is saying through them? Often in our Churches and communities we are not hearing God's fresh life giving word. This is what we currently see in our nations, a drought of the Word of Lord! We need to be training, equipping, empowering, and activating people in the prophetic as quickly as possible.
How often, after we have been used by God in a powerful way, God leads us into the wilderness place. The place where God shows us that without Him, we can do nothing! The desert place is the place where we are humbled so that when God moves through us powerfully only, He will get the glory.
This is the season where we as God’s children, need to be so filled with the overflowing fullness of the Holy Spirit that the words we release in His name, are filled with His power to perform the purpose for which they have been sent. Only then can we be vessels for God to move through in signs, wonders and for us to see the kingdom of God advance through our lives.
We need to yield to God in our desert times to come out of them filled with His presence and to be a carrier of His glory. Instead of seeing the desert as a place of punishment or attack, and moving into self-pity, we need to see it is a place of empowering. The desert can be a place where:
God can bring deliverance and set us free.
Sin, blind spots and distractions in our lives can be dealt with.
Focus and vision can be restored - without it we will be mediocre and not do the great things for God we were destined to do! Proverbs 29:13 – without a vision the people perish. We are limited not by our abilities but by our lack of focus and vision.
Confusion over who we are and what God has called us for will be exposed and stripped away. We are made in the image of God! We were on God’s heart from the beginning of eternity. You are not a mistake! You were created to have authority and dominion Genesis 1:26
If we are going to see our nation shifted back to God, we need to understand WHO God has made us to be!
The good news is we see God’s supernatural provision in the desert. God never leaves you or forsakes you!
We can be fast tracked to see and deal with religious powers. Sometimes God must bring you out of something for you to see how the enemy has been operating.
Deception will keep you blind from seeing the truth, which can cause you to compromise and lose your focus.
A powerful governmental authority and anointing can be released that can shift communities and nations.
God can bring life out of barrenness! The story of Hannah is a classic example of this –as Hannah AROSE! David too after the death of his baby son – AROSE to bring restoration. God is calling us to ARISE not just getting off our seats but into the heavenly places with Christ Jesus! Do you want to stay in the place of barrenness or to bear fruit for the King?
But why did God send Elijah to Kerith Ravine? Kerith is from the Hebrew word “Karath” = “to cut” and “to covenant or make an agreement”. God took Elijah to the Kerith Ravine to strip away confusion and to make a covenant with him.
God commanded the ravens to bring food supplies morning and evening. We learn from this story that God can supply us in funny and peculiar ways, after all the raven is considered an unclean bird. When God works a miracle – receive it! If God provides it, it is good for you.
Our God is Jehovah Jireh, which means, "The Lord will provide." Elijah was fed one meal at a time! Can you imagine that! God was teaching Elijah to trust Him for everything. God is the God of the impossible!
In this season when we may find ourselves in the desert or in need, it is so important that we recognize God’s provision for us.
Jesus was taken into the wilderness immediately after He was baptized. When Jesus came out, He came out filled with the Spirit and power – that is what God is seeking to do in our lives. Wow why not join me in saying "Lord fill me with your presence and power!"
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